Romania - Factors to watch on March 20

BUCHAREST, March 20 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press reports and events to watch which may affect Romanian financial markets on Tuesday.

DEBT TENDER

Romania sold 473 million lei ($124.5 million) worth of April 2024 treasury bonds on Monday against a planned 400 million, at an average yield of 4.20 percent, central bank data showed.

Debt managers last sold the paper in February at an average accepted yield of 4.35 percent.

JUSTICE

A parliamentary commission headed by former justice minister Florin Iordache is expected to finish debates on a package of justice reform laws which had been sent back to parliament by the Constitutional court for reworking.

Critics have said the bills would weaken judicial independence.

CEE MARKETS

Central European currencies and government bonds fell on Monday amid expectations the Federal Reserve will raise U.S. interest rates at its meeting on Wednesday and may hint at more to come.

Stocks also fell, since rising U.S. rates would make assets in the region's emerging markets relatively less attractive.

KAZAKH KMG

A deal to sell a 51 percent state in Kazakh state energy company KazMunaiGas' Romanian unit to China's CEFC has been postponed until the end of June, KazMunaiGas told Reuters.

OTP

OTP Bank said on Monday it remained committed to increasing market share in Romania despite central bank's rejection of Banca Romaneasca takeover. The deadline to appeal against the central bank's decision is March 29, OTP lawyers examining decision.

Greece's National Bank (NBG) said on Monday it is considering other options on its Romanian subsidiary Banca Romaneasca.

OMV PETROM DIVIDENDS

The supervisory board of oil and gas group OMV Petrom , owned by Austria's OMV aproved a plan to distribute gross dividends of 0.02 lei per share, or 1.13 billion lei overall, from June, the firm said on Monday.

Shareholders will need to sign off on the decision at a meeting on April 26.